I decide to target the nearest Elder Dragon, which is a little over 300 km south of my location. I activate my concealment and flight spells, and I take off towards it. When I am further into the forest, I drop the concealment spells, and I use a magic pulse every few minutes to fine-tune my trajectory.
Eventually, I sense my destination coming closer. I reapply my concealment spells and drop my speed to limit turbulence. I also lower my altitude to get a better view of the situation as I approach.
Shortly after, I see a massive clearing ahead whose size puts my own to shame, and a large lake is visible within the clearing by the edge of the forest. Towards the center of the clearing, I see a creature curled up in a ball resting.
It's absolutely massive – probably about 15 meters from ground to back when standing, and over 35 meters from head to tail. No doubt about it, that's one of the Elder Dragons. If it's not, I certainly don't want to meet the real ones.
Maintaining full concealment, I fly down to a spot about 10 meters away from its head and deactivate all my other spells. Upon closer inspection, the dragon has dark brown scales covering every visible inch of its body, with each one being about the size of a laptop.
I can't say for sure, but I'd guess that anything less than a plasma ball or enhanced katana wouldn't even draw blood. I don't see anything that lets me know which Elder Dragon it is, though.
Now…how should I go about this? I've heard that they are at least as intelligent as humans, so a little chat should be fine. I can just ask which one they are, right? However, startling it sounds dangerous for my health. I think I'll play this safe.
As far as I can tell, it's not fully asleep, just resting. I take up a position further from the dragon, then use a variation of my flight spell to launch nearby small rocks at its nose. They bounce off pitifully but seem to do the job.
The dragon slowly moves its head and opens its eyes. It glances down and sees the rocks that hit it. Then it slowly begins scanning the area.
Alright, here's my chance. I drop the silencing part of my concealment spells, and shout at the dragon.
"Hello there! You wouldn't happen to be the Elder Dragon of earth, would you?"
I immediately teleport a short distance away from where I yelled and reapply my full concealment spell. At the same time, the dragon's eyes widen as though in surprise, and it lifts its head up. Suddenly, a voice rings out in my head.
[Who has entered my domain? Why can I not sense your presence? Reveal yourself, creature!] (Elder Dragon?)
Woah, that's pretty cool, is that thought communication!? Man, I really want it to teach me that.
I repeat my same speak then teleport approach while staying constantly invisible. It seems irritable, so I don't want to get caught by a blind attack. It might kill me in one shot.
"Uh, hi! Nice to meet you! My name is Mizuki! You can't sense me because I'm invisible! I'm happy to reveal myself, but only if you promise not to attack me!" (Mizuki)
[FOOL! Don't make demands of a dragon, creature! I'm not unreasonable. If you are not a threat, I will not harm you. However, if you do not show yourself, I will not be so kind.] (Elder Dragon?)
What a cranky one…I almost hope this isn't my dragon. I sigh internally. I guess I don't really have a choice though if I want to avoid a fight. I apply max body enhancement just in case, then drop my concealment spells.
As I materialize in front of it, the dragon's eyes narrow at me.
"Hey there, I did as you asked! Now, can we talk? I really don't want to fight with you!" (Mizuki)
Before I can ask more, the dragon begins standing up.
[A human!? You dare trespass this far into our forest, after my last warning!? You will die for your insolence!] (Elder Dragon?)
At this point, the dragon begins to take flight and, at the same time, sends a large boulder screeching towards me with magic. I teleport out of the way, then call out to it.
"Hey, cut it out! I'm not here to cause trouble I swear! I just want to talk!" (Mizuki)
Seeing me talking from a new location, the dragon snaps its head over towards me.
[WHAT!? How did you get over there!? I'm not interested in your reasons – you humans cannot be trusted inside the forest! You will perish here today.] (Elder Dragon?)
I get another boulder launched at me, and I dodge it the same as before. Damn, this dragon is not listening. I think it's safe to say that this is the earth dragon based on these attacks, though. What a bummer.
I still get the feeling that its holding back. This thing wiped out a whole army from what I remember, so I'm not confident of my chances if it goes all out.
"Listen! I mean it when I say I don't want to fight, just tell me how I can prove it to you!? I'm warning you, though, if you attack me one more time I'm going to fight back!" (Mizuki)
[You dare threaten me, human!? DIE!] (Elder Dragon?)
After that lovely retort, the earth around me begins to tremble. Looks like it's getting serious. I tried to play nice, but I'm not just going to take this lying down. I guess we're fighting.
First, let's get you down on my level, asshole. I prepare a gravity spell right under the dragon. Not worried about hurting the dragon, I make it as intense as I can as fast as I can, to the point that I feel the sudden magic drain. It's worth it, though.
[GAHHHHH!] (Elder Dragon?)
The dragon is viciously slammed into the earth by the spell, then held there. I drop the gravity spell and push my physical enhancement as far as it will go. Then, I teleport to the dragon and start punching it in the face as hard as I can. My fists are shattering the scales and causing some light damage to the underlying tissue, but as I expected, it's not doing any decisive damage.
The dragon throws its head around and tries to bite me, but I teleport to the other side of its face. I brandish may katana and quickly max enhance it, then I start with a barrage of slashes at the dragon's face. Blood begins to spray with each slash, and I'm now leaving gashes in its flesh about 30 cm deep. I'm finally getting somewhere.
The dragon growls at me and spins around to try and hit me with its tail, and I narrowly avoid it. I'd hate to just go from zero to a hundred like this, but that hit could have killed me for all I know. I can't be merciful. \
I need a decisive victory while I still have the element of surprise. If I wait too long, I'm probably screwed.
I apply concealment spells and teleport a short distance away. Then, I expand the concealment spell area, and I begin charging a plasma ball.
[GAH! I'll dare you scar my face! Where did you go, worthless human!?] (Elder Dragon?)
I guess this thing has a beauty complex. Ignoring that, I pour as much magic as I can into my plasma ball, until it's basketball-sized and my vision begins to blur. I drop the concealment spells, and I take aim at the dragon's midsection.
"I warned you what would happen if you chose to fight! I really wish you'd just chilled out!" (Mizuki)
I launch the plasma ball at ferocious speed, and it impacts the dragon's side where I aimed. The plasma ball begins tearing through the scales and flesh of the dragon, and the shockwave sends it teetering. After, an intense fire breaks out past it, and a large hole is now clearly visible through the dragon's midsection. It lets out a massive roar of pain. Blood is spilling out from the wound, and it begins to trickle from the dragon's mouth as well.
[GAYAAAHH! What was that!? Just what kind of monster are you!?] (Elder Dragon?)
The dragon tries to stand back up, but it collapses onto the ground and stops struggling. Crap, it's going to die if I don't do something.
I teleport over to it, near the wound in its belly, and I begin pouring all the magic I have left into healing its injuries. The blood flow is starting to slow down, and the wound is closing slowly, but I don't know if I'll save it in time with a wound this big.
[What are you doing to me human? Just finish me already.] (Elder Dragon?)
"I'm trying to heal you, dumbass! I told you I never wanted to fight in the first place! This wound is pretty big, though, so I'm having trouble!" (Mizuki)
[Heal me…you are a strange one. I was outmatched…so…I'll…] (Elder Dragon?)
The thought communications seem to be growing weaker. Damn it! If this thing dies, it's going to inconvenience me even further. Why couldn't we just have a friendly chat!?
As I think frantically, a warmth is emitted from the dragon's body and light pours out, blinding me. When my vision returns, the dragon has disappeared.
"Oh, you have got to be shitting me!" (Mizuki)
A few meters in front of me, a woman is laying on the ground. A small partial hole can be seen through her abdomen and…yup, you guessed it…she's naked.
"You think they'd be able to transform with clothes or something." (Mizuki)
As I mutter to myself, I run over to her body and begin healing the wound from her back. She's still breathing, but barely conscious. Thankfully, the wound shrank with her, and I'm healing it much more effectively now.
After a few more minutes, the injury seems to be non-lethal. I begin healing the other wounds on her body. I think she really brought all these wounds on herself.
"For god's sake, why'd you have to make this so damn difficult for me! I just wanted to talk!" (Mizuki)
I complain aloud to her as I finish my healing, then fall back on the ground exhausted. After a few minutes, my strength has returned, and I sit back up.
I check on her state – she's still unconscious…and naked. Great. Well, I'm not about to sit here for the rest of her nap.
I'd say she's about the same height and build as Ilina, but with lighter skin, shorter dark brown hair, and green eyes like mine. At a glance, she looks like she's in her mid 20s, but I'm sure that as a dragon she's much older.
I wonder if I could get clothes for her and bring them back? I don't trust my judgement though. Maybe Percivil can help…poor dude.
I slide one hand each behind her knees and under her shoulders, then lift her up. I'm trying very hard not to look at her body, and her proximity makes me uncomfortable.
"Even unconscious, you're a pain in my ass…" (Mizuki)
I look around to gather a reference point for later, then teleport with her in my arms to the back room at Percivil's shop. I set her down in the back corner, propped against the wall. I start searching through the boxes in the room, and…bingo. There is a large blanket. I pull it out and shake the dust off it.
Sorry, Percivil, but I need to borrow this. I set a gold coin on the workbench. Unless this is some crazy magic blanket or something, that should cover it. I go and wrap the blanket around the woman.
Nice, this won't be so awkward now. I pick her up again in the blanket, then teleport back to the lake clearing. When we arrive, I scope out a nearby tree at the edge of the forest and prop her against it. She's still knocked out.
While I wait for her to wake up, I investigate the battle site. Among the carnage are pieces of broken dragon scales. I collect some of them and put them in my pack. You never know, they might come in handy.
I take one of the smaller pieces and place it in my palm, then I close my eyes and tune my magic sense to it.
Now, I wonder what this will let me detect. I spread my magic sense out as far as I can and try to detect the signature from the scales. I get two hits…the woman over by the tree, and another presence about 200 km away.
I swap to magic detection, and the most powerful presence is in the same place 200 km away. Okay, safe to say that's the wind-type Elder Dragon, so I can now track Elder Dragons. Good to know!
I walk back over to the woman and take a seat.
Eventually, the woman starts to stir. She opens her eyes, and then scans her surroundings. When she notices me, her eyes open wide. I take preemptive measures.
"Hey, before you freak out, I'll remind you that I just saved your life. Hopefully you listen this time when I say…I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT!" (Mizuki)
Her eyes narrow, and then she starts to…laugh!?
"Fufufufu…you are pretty funny human. Saving your enemy, I did not expect that! Also, should I even call you human? You smell human, but your strength was truly monstrous. No human could have done that to me." (Elder Dragon?)
I just can't with this woman. Also, do I smell? I guess I should investigate taking a bath back in town.
"I never considered you my enemy you damn dragon! That's why I saved you. Also, no, you should not call me human, you should call me by my name, Mizuki. Now, can you please confirm if you're the Elder Dragon of earth before I lose my mind? Do you have any idea how much of a pain in my ass you've been!?" (Mizuki)
The woman flashes me a dazzling smile.
"Very well then, Mizuki, you can call me Nina. I normally have no interest in being familiar with humans, but…you're different. Fufufu…I have not experienced this much excitement in millennia. I'd be interested in learning more about you, you know? Regarding your other question…yes, I am the dragon you seek." (Nina)
Okay, that's one problem down. Nina, huh, I thought it was supposed to be Nedonera? I guess dragons can have nicknames, too.
"In that case, you are welcome to consider us friends from this point forward. I have a couple questions, though, if you don't mind. First, why the hell are you human now? Second, why were you so determined to kill me at first?" (Mizuki)
Her eyes light up at the word friends. Man, this is one fickle dragon. After my questions, she lets out a 'hmm' sound like she's thinking.
"Elder Dragons can turn into human forms whenever they want, we just usually don't. I only did it so that you could heal my wound more easily." (Nina)
"Uh okay, sure…but why can you transform into a human in the first place? What reason would there be for transforming, and why humans?" (Mizuki)
"Oh! On the planet I came from, the first Elder Dragons were just humans that a god altered and granted power to. So, we're kind of taking our original form when we do this. I'm not sure why, but it's also easier to use magic in this body." (Nina)
Well, that's a lot to digest. Azazel didn't mention that the Elder Dragon's ancestors were originally human. Did he know? I wonder what the god who did that to them is like.
"As for why I attacked you…it was just because you're human. A while back some humans were supposed to stay out of the forest after our generous warning, then they came in here making a mess like they owned the place! So, I killed them." (Nina)
She says that all so nonchalantly! If that's the event I read about in the book, she wiped out a whole army! Also, 'a while back', wasn't it like hundreds of years ago? Just how old is she? Better not ask her, she's finally in a good mood.
Presumably seeing my annoyed expression, she quickly speaks up again.
"B-b-but I promise I won't attack you again! I swear!" (Nina)
Her eyes are kind of frantic, and she looks sincere. I'm starting to feel bad.
"I believe you, I'm not mad. I promise." (Mizuki)
This seems to calm her, and she nods gratefully. Then, something seems to occur to her, and her face brightens.
"Now I have two questions for you, Mizuki!" (Nina)
Oh? This ought to be good.
"Sure, go ahead." (Mizuki)
Her face gets serious, and she looks down at the blanket covering her.
"Did you see me naked?" (Nina)
Ah, busted…it wasn't my choice, though! Still, I can't bring myself to meet her gaze.
"Uhm…yeah…I did. I'm really sorry, though, I didn't mean to invade your privacy, I just didn't have much choice." (Mizuki)
After a few seconds of silence, I look up at her. She's looking at me…and grinning!? Seeing me meet her gaze, she nods expectantly like, 'and, your thoughts?'.
Does she have screws loose!? I admire her confidence and everything, but I'm going to ignore that unasked question.
"Ehem…so, what was your second question?" (Mizuki)
She seems annoyed by me changing the subject, but she just sighs and answers.
"Why did you seek me out?" (Nina)
Oh yeah, that.
"Right, thanks. So, basically there is some elven princess and her knight who want to find you. I don't know why, and I don't know what they plan to do once they are here, but they hired me to help. I just wanted to ask if you'd avoid attacking them unless they turn hostile. If they attack you, feel free to kill them and I promise I won't intervene, and if they ask you to do something, you don't have to accept. Would you be okay with that?" (Mizuki)
"Sure! If that's what you'd like, I don't mind. I suppose I owe you for saving me." (Nina)
I'm so glad this woman is finally being reasonable. Time to press my luck with the other thing.
"Thanks, I really appreciate it. Now, I was wondering if you could help me with something else, too. You see, I don't want other people to know how strong I am. I'd like that to stay our little secret. But it would take weeks to make the trip out here with them on foot, and I'd have to find an excuse to explain how I knew where you were. So instead, I'd like to pretend that one of these…" (Mizuki)
I show her one of the blue marbles. She seems pretty interested, and she is listening intently.
"…is a special item that teleports you to the nearest Elder Dragon. I was hoping you'd play along with me and, when I teleport us here, pretend that you recognize this item. Then, insist to them on you keeping this marble afterward. I need an excuse to get rid of it. After they finish discussing whatever they want from you, I'd like you to pretend to teleport us back to where we came from, as cover for when I do it. So, can I count on you?" (Mizuki)
She looks like she's thinking it over quite hard, then she looks at me and smiles. Oh, I know that look from Dio, she wants something.
"Fufufufufu…that's a sneaky thing you're suggesting. I think I could help, but us dragons hate lying, you see. Since this one is kind of funny, I don't mind as much, but I'd want something in return. First, I really do want to keep this pretty item you showed me. Let's call it a gift from my new friend! Second, since you're getting a favor, I'd also like to get a favor in return someday." (Nina)
First one is easy, but the second one makes me nervous.
"Within reason, I'll grant you the favor. I already intended to let you keep the marble when this all goes down, so that's fine, too. Lastly, it should go without saying that when I come back here with the elves, you cannot let it slip that you know me already – act like we're meeting for the first time. So, do we have a deal?" (Mizuki)
She lights up at my response, then lunges forward from the tree and hugs me, sending her blanket flying.
"Yes, yes, we have a deal!" (Nina)
She squeals in excitement then lets me go and sits back against the tree. She makes no effort to grab the blanket.
"Uh, hey, Nina…I'm sure that dragons are normally nude, so you don't think anything of it, but do you have any clothes you can put on? Please?" (Mizuki)
She makes an amused face and shrugs, then she sticks her hand onto the ground. The ground around it turns muddy, then mud starts to run up her arm and covers her whole body. The mud on her body begins to writhe, then take form.
After a few moments, she's wearing a light brown tank top tucked into dark brown pants that fit her well. She also appears to have conjured a pair of brown sandals. She smiles at me after it finishes.
"How's that?" (Nina)
Much better, I do not need the awkward sexual tension from earlier ever again. Also…why couldn't she have just done that to begin with!?
"Great, I appreciate it. The clothes suit you." (Mizuki)
She seems to smirk at the last part.
I glance up at the sky, and it looks like I'll probably need to meet the elves in a couple hours. I should head back soon. Man, this day has been mentally exhausting. First thing I'm doing when I get back is taking a bath in that fancy inn.
I stand up from my seated position on the ground, and I begin wiping off my trousers and collecting my things. Nina gives me a suspicious glare.
"What are you doing?" (Nina)
"I'm getting ready to head back to Elemsia." (Mizuki)
She jumps up quickly with a surprised look on her face and cries out.
"Wait, you're leaving already!? You aren't going to stay here with me for a while?" (Nina)
Jeez…I didn't know you were that starved for attention. I give her a confused expression.
"Today with you has been the most excitement I've had in millennia…I've been so bored! Don't go yet, please, you said we were friends!" (Nina)
As she makes her plea, she throws her hands out to her sides, as if trying to block my escape. Is she for real? Like, kidnapping aside, she knows I can teleport right? I thought Azazel said Elder Dragons were intelligent.
"Err…you know I can teleport, right? Listen, I have to meet with those elves at sunset, and I have some other things I want to do before then." (Mizuki)
As I state the obvious, she seems to process it for a minute, then drops her arms dejectedly. Wow, she really didn't think that through.
After, I see the hint of a smile flash across her face, then she looks back up at me with a sorrowful expression and pleading eyes.
"So, you'd just come to a girl's home unannounced, beat her, touch her while she's naked and unconscious, ask her for favors, then abandon her in a forest all alone once you get what you want?" (Nina)
What the hell!? Is this supposed to be a guilt trip!? That's no fair, and you are totally twisting the situation!
"Uh…h-hey, look, it's not like that! I just have things I've got to do. Like I said, I promised the elves I'd meet with them. Remember, you said dragons hate lying, so I thought you'd want me to meet them on time and keep my word." (Mizuki)
Her face goes stiff, and she looks momentarily conflicted. Then, she smiles, coming to a decision.
"That's true, so why don't you just take me with you! I can wait somewhere else while you have the meeting with them, and we can have fun the rest of the time. You owe me a favor, friend, so I'd like to come with you!" (Nina)
She emphasizes the word 'friend', as if implying that if I were really her friend, I'd yield. Somehow, I can't imagine her being content just hanging out quietly and not causing trouble.
Only five minutes ago she plainly admitted that me being human was enough to earn me a death sentence. I'm not about to take her to a city full of humans, and leave her unsupervised, with no assurances she can behave. Honestly, though, that's not what I'm most concerned about.
The elves. Even if Nina is in human form in the city and dragon form when I bring them here, the chances aren't zero they'd see Nina's human form if she joins me this evening. We'll be in the same inn as the elves after all. If they ever connected Nina's human and dragon forms later, Ilina seems sharp enough to infer that I arranged something shady before bringing them here.
On the other hand, I do owe Nina a favor. I need to keep my word, so maybe I can offer her something else that's less problematic for me. I want to get back soon, but I can probably spare a little more time. I'll also offer to spend a whole day doing whatever she wants another time to sweeten the deal.
"You're right. I meant what I said about us being friends, and I do owe you a favor. However, I really think it's too risky to bring you back where they might see you, even in human form. So, how about I stay for a little while longer here and chat with you instead? I'll also spend a different day doing whatever reasonable things you want, after we've met with the elves. How's that?" (Mizuki)
Her emotions are quite the rollercoaster as she listens to my comments. While I confirm that I owe her, she is smug, then while I try to sidestep her request, she is mad, and when I finally mention doing whatever she wants for a day if she relents, she is ecstatic. Truly a fickle dragon.
"Okay, yes, I accept! Fufufu…you were no match for my expert negotiating!" (Nina)
Uh…yeah, let's go with that. She smiles happily and sits back down on the ground, then gestures for me to do the same. I oblige.
She stares at me expectantly, as if waiting for me to magically make this interesting. I'm not sure what to discuss that she'll enjoy, though.
Oh! I don't know about her, but I was pretty interested in that thought communication spell of hers. Maybe she'll teach it to me now that we're allegedly friends.
"Hey, Nina, what spell was it that you used for thought communication as a dragon earlier?" (Mizuki)
She gives me a deeply confused look, then her eyes open in surprise.
[Do you mean this, Mizuki?] (Nina)
Her voice echoes in my head as she stares at me.
"Yes! That! Can you teach me the spell for it please?" (Mizuki)
Her confusion seems to deepen.
"Spell? I don't use a spell for this, it's just how Elder Dragons communicate. I believe it was an ability granted to the first Elder Dragons by the god of that planet." (Nina)
Well, that's a huge bummer, I was pretty excited for that. Could this be one of those mysterious godly abilities that Azazel was alluding to before, since there's no incantation?
Hmm…maybe I can at least replicate it with magic. I can't imagine the physical principles behind such a thing, so hopefully Nina can explain it.
"Oh, I see. Well can you explain to me how it works at least? Like, when you try and use that skill what are you thinking about?" (Mizuki)
"I'm not sure what you mean. I just focus on the person and speak in my head, and they hear it." (Nina)
Yeah…that's not going to cut it. I obviously set my expectations too high. I involuntarily let out a deep sigh, and I guess Nina can sense my disappointment.
"If it really interests you that much, though, I could probably give you the ability. Do you want me to try?" (Nina)
What, free skills!? Sign me up. Upon hearing that, I snap my head over to meet her gaze, and she seems…excited…mischievous…both? Something else is going on here.
"M-maybe, could you tell me exactly how that would work?" (Mizuki)
Seeing my interest, she nods excitedly. Yeah, I smell fish.
"Essentially, you'd form a kind of contract with me! It'd be like me giving you a piece of my magic or essence and your body will incorporate it into your own. It goes the other way, too. Afterwards, both people usually get stronger, learn new skills, and form a deeper connection." (Nina)
That doesn't sound necessarily concerning…yet. But I've seen enough anime to know that this is how you end up with a dragon slave, or in some kind of weird, erotic soul bond. Not on my watch!
"I say it's only possible that you'll get the 'thought communication' because this is normally done between Elder Dragons. They both already have thought communication in those cases, so they just get more magic power, gain a bit of affinity with the other dragon's core element, and gain the ability to sense one another's locations and emotions." (Nina)
Hmm…a few concerns are arising in my head. She's also very obviously trying to put a positive spin on this without lying. She's looking at me patiently.
"What do you think will happen to me if we do this contract? Also, why do you seem so excited for it?" (Mizuki)
She hesitates for a few moments before answering.
"I think you'll probably gain some power, the ability to use thought communication, and you might get better at earth type spells. It won't turn you into a dragon if that's what you're worried about. You'll still look and feel like you, just with extra abilities and more of a connection with me." (Nina)
Okay, none of that is problematic in my opinion. I'd like some elaboration on this deeper connection thing, though. Nina continues explaining, but she starts watching how I react more carefully.
"As for why I'm willing to do it…I think I benefit in a couple of ways. The first is that I'm the weakest of the four Elder Dragons here. You're way stronger than me, and you are probably even stronger than Cerilia, the greatest of us Elder Dragons. So, I'm sure I'll become much more powerful, and I won't be the weakest of the Elder Dragons anymore. The other reason…" (Nina)
She looks at me hesitantly, obviously afraid of how I'll react to the following information. Jeez…she is really behaving differently these past few minutes.
Also, she's the weakest of them!? That's nuts! I was scared for my life, and I don't even think I saw all her power. She seems to think I could take her and the others in a full-on fight, but I'm not so sure. Not that I have any intention of finding out. I want to ask about the other Elder Dragons, but now doesn't seem like the time.
I nod for her to continue.
"…well, I said that you and I will have a deeper connection. That will include us being able to sense one another's location, and to some degree our emotions, and to talk to each other by thought communication without limits. So…I kind of thought it'd be nice if I could talk to someone who'd know how I feel and visit you anytime I wanted. B-but, I swear, I won't just come bothering you without asking!" (Nina)
She is staring at the ground through most of this admission, but after she mentions being able to talk to me and locate me whenever she wants, she looks up at me frantically while she tries to reassure me it won't be a problem. I feel kind of bad for her…she is obviously lonely.
I sigh deeply and think it over. Honestly, if the only downside is her being able to find me whenever she wants…while it's not something to take lightly, I don't think it's a dealbreaker either. She seems sincere about not abusing it. Also, I can already do the same to her, and I just showed up unannounced and disrupted her life. So, it'd make me a huge hypocrite if I rejected the idea based on that alone.
"Okay, Nina, I have one last question before I decide." (Mizuki)
Hearing that I didn't outright reject the idea, she starts smiling and nodding at me to ask my question.
"Can you think of any other downsides for either of us with this contract? Is it going to do anything weird like make it so that one of us can't disobey the other, or anything else really controlling? I want both our free wills intact. Also, can this connection between us be exploited by others? Like if I were to die, would you die too, or if you were to get a status effect of some kind, could it be transmitted to me through this connection?" (Mizuki)
Nina thinks it over silently for over a minute. Well, I'm glad she's at least taking my concerns seriously. After a moment more, she nods to herself before answering me.
"Nobody could exploit the connection – it's not physical or even magical. It's just like sharing a part of ourselves with each other makes us more in tune. As for our free will, you have no reason to worry. This is nothing like a slave contract, and you could even still kill me afterwards. However, it will make us more familiar and empathetic…we'll probably grow very fond of one another's company, but only by circumstance of understanding one another so well." (Nina)
None of that is bad news in my opinion.
"There is one potential downside, though. If we do this, neither of us would be able to form another contract with the other Elder Dragons." (Nina)
After saying this, she looks at me expectantly, as though it might change my mind. I don't care to do this more than once. I also guess it make sense that it's a one-off, otherwise you could go around getting power ups with all the dragons here. So, this isn't information that changes things for me.
What about Nina, though? She knows all the other dragons.
"Eh…I'm fine with that honestly. What about you though? Wouldn't you rather do this with one of your own kind than with a human?" (Mizuki)
Nina immediately shakes her head, and her face is vaguely annoyed.
"No, everyone except Cerilia has picked on me for being weaker. You've been more fun and kinder to me in the past hour than they ever have. I don't want this connection with any of them, so I won't regret it." (Nina)
Alright, well, that sounds final. She looks serious, and I have no reason to doubt her. I guess we're doing this!
I take a deep breath and prepare myself. Then, I smile warmly at Nina and give her my decision.
"Alright, Nina, I'm on board with this contract then. How do we do it?" (Mizuki)
Hearing my answer, her eyes shoot open in surprise. After a moment she starts smiling gratefully, then she springs toward me and knocks me on my back with another hug. She buries her face in my chest and laughs appreciatively.
"Oh, that's great, Mizuki! I'm so happy, I promise you won't regret it! We're going to have so much fun together!" (Nina)
I can't help but grin a little at how excited she is. She gets off me and pulls me back up into a sitting position in front of her. I'm looking at her face up close now, and her green eyes are sparkling with excitement. I was trying not to notice before, but…Nina's insanely attractive.
"Yeah, yeah, we'll see about that! What now? I can't stay much longer, so if we want to do this we need to get started." (Mizuki)
I shoot her a good-natured smirk as I say this, and she smiles back and nods.
"Okay, I need you to close your eyes and let your magic power spill out and surround both of us, and you need to imagine yourself being open to me. Just visualize us hugging or something. I'll be doing the same, and I can take care of the rest from there. Just leave it to me!" (Nina)
She declares the last part with a confident smile. Then, her expression changes, and she looks me over with…something between a smirk and anticipation? I guess it's time for me to do my part.
I close my eyes and will my magic power to surround both of us. I try imagining myself accepting Nina, like warmly embracing her with my magic. After a few moments, I feel a heat radiating through my body. Eventually, a faint earthy smell hits my nose, and I feel a sudden soft pressure on my lips.
I open my eyes in surprise, and see Nina leaned over with her eyes closed and lips pressed against mine firmly. I'm in a state of shock, unsure of what to do, and I'm feeling a foreign urge to not pull away. Before I can sort out the rush of thoughts in my head, the heat that washed over me a moment ago fades, and Nina pulls away from the kiss.
She opens her eyes and smiles knowingly at me. This dragon was planning that sneak attack from the start, wasn't she!?
"Nina, what the hell was that about!?" (Mizuki)
I'm still reeling from the experience, and my voice breaks a little bit. Hearing my question, she looks around innocently, like 'who me?', then waves her hand dismissively.
"That was just to make sure the contract was effective! I told you a feeling of trusting and accepting the other person was important, and I was just helping with that a little." (Nina)
She is putting on an innocent expression still, but I can see traces of a smirk on her face. I narrow my eyes at her suspiciously. I'm not sure if I believe that it was necessary to kiss me, but she seems to be sticking to her story.
I let out a deep sigh.
"Even if that's true, why didn't you at least warn me beforehand?" (Mizuki)
Nina averts her gaze and makes a 'hmm' sound like she's thinking, then shrugs. I hear her voice echo in my head with a coy undertone.
[Fufufu…I guess because I thought you'd object.] (Nina)
What the hell, Nina!? You're damn right, and that's even more reason to tell me!
I'm feeling a bit annoyed at her blatant handling of me. However, there's also another sensation, more mild and somehow separated…amusement? No, I'm not amused, so why do I sense that?
I study Nina intently for the first time since the contract. She's just smiling softly towards me, and she looks pleased with herself. It almost feels like the amusement is coming from her.
Oh right, Nina said I might be able to sense her emotions. I guess she's feeling amused with her little stunt. I try and direct my annoyance back at her, willing her to sense it. Her eyes open in surprise, and then she starts chuckling out loud. I guess that means it worked. Looking at her, I also feel like there is a change in my attitude towards her.
Is it the emotional link? No, it's more like…she seems more relatable now, like we have something in common that we didn't before. I feel a lot more inclined towards her company, but I don't mind that being the case.
Remembering the other consequences of the contract, I snap out of my introspective mood. Thought communication, can I do it now!? I'm so excited by the realization that I completely forget about the situation with Nina. Seeming to sense my excitement, Nina smiles.
I look at her and focus in my mind on the words I want to say, then will them to reach her without my speaking.
[Hey, Nina, can you hear me? Am I doing this right?] (Mizuki)
Nina nods approvingly. Success! This was totally worth it. I lean my head back in satisfaction, basking in the warmth of the sun with my eyes closed.
When I open my eyes, I can see the sun starting to disappear behind the tree line. I let out a deep sigh.
[Alright, Nina. I've got that meeting with the elves in a little over an hour, and I honestly need to do a few things beforehand, like take a bath. I'm sorry, but I've got to go now.] (Mizuki)
In parallel with the thought communication, I try and push a feeling of sympathy towards her, so she knows I'm sincere.
She grins and shakes her head gently.
[No need to apologize, Mizuki. You kept up your end of the deal, so no hard feelings. Go ahead, I'll be fine. Plus, I can talk to you anytime I want now.] (Nina)
[Alright then, Nina, thanks for everything. I'll be in touch later about the details of meeting the elves, okay? In the meantime, let me know if you discover any cool new powers that you got from me!] (Mizuki)
With that, I stand up and grab my things, give Nina one last grin and a wave, then teleport back to Elmesia. It's time to set my grand production with Ilina and Klaus in motion.